Mega Churches

Last class we talked about mega churches and we also watched a clip from a normal Sunday mass at a mega church. Before watching this clip I had a much different idea of what this type of parish would be like. I had heard about its size and specific details like that but nothing could have prepared me for what I watched in class. It did not remind me of Sunday mass at all; instead it reminded me of a very loud concert hall. I was a bit torn over my opinion of mega churches. All of the members of the church were definitely physically and spiritually involved in the mass. For this reason, it shows the mega churches obviously get their members to really care and cherish that time on Sundays. Also, the man and his wife who spoke on stage touched some huge topics that not only relate to modern people’s lives but also inspire people to do better. I only got a chance to watch a few minutes but even I felt a bit inspired afterwards. On the other hand, it’s very hard for me to accept that as a church. My personal experience with church and Sunday mass in particular is that everyone is quiet and although it may be somewhat boring on certain days, it is something that everyone must attend. Everyone dresses up and nobody dares to misbehave or make even the slightest sour sound. I’m sure that anyone who attends a mega church would find my Catholic church to be very unbearable, but I guess it’s all about what you get used to.

Miracles in Christianity

One major question to consider when studying Christianity, is whether or not miracles are central in its understanding. Can someone be a devout Christian without believing in miracles? There may be different opinions of this based on whom you talk to, but my opinion is that this cannot be true. Christianity is centralized around the idea that Jesus, the son of God, gathered followers (or disciples) by going around and performing miracles that no one else could even attempt. This miracles and their success set him apart from all others and are key in his acknowledgment as being the Messiah sent from God.

Jihad

Americans have a very skewed definition of the word Jihad. It does not only mean a holy war, but also means the inner struggle that a person must endure in order to please God. If non-Muslims begin to think of Jihad using these terms, I don't think that the word would seem too foreign to them. Everyone, no matter their race or religion, has struggles through out their lives. Some may be huge and some may be much less significant, but they exist in every culture. The fact that Muslims address their struggles and work to overcome them is very impressive.

Modern Islam

I really sympathize for Muslim business owners who are torn between their faith and making a living for themselves. Islam strictly bans all alcohol, gambling, and pork. This puts Muslims who own shops which, typically sell all three items, in a very tough position. On one side, I believe that it is very important to stick with one's faith. If a person is very dedicated to their religion and believes it is an essential aspect of their life, it does not seem right to directly disobey orders written in the Qur'an. But then again, how do you justify losing business because of that? It seems extremely unfair. I don't think that there is a right or wrong thing to do. Of course I am not Muslim and if I was I would probably have a different opinion, but I believe that if a person needs to sell these forbidden items in order to support themselves and their families it should not be scorned upon. Also, if a person decides to listen to the Qur'an and ban all items from their shop, they should not be though of as unreasonable or lacking any sense of business. I feel as if it must be somewhat difficult, or even extremely difficult, to strictly follow Islam while living in modern America.

Since our first class on Islam, I'm very surprised as how different I feel towards this religion. Although in the past I have never been prejudice to Islam, I made the same mistake as I think many have; I classified an entire religion and an entire group of people because of one tiny fraction of its population. After learning about the deeper aspects of Islam, I've found that my pre-conceived notion of this religion was entirely false. In class we've learned the teachings found in Qur'an, the daily religious acts that a Muslim must perform, the unwavering devotion given to Allah, Ramadan and Muslim's commitment to selfless acts, and the diversity of Islam's followers.

Out of all of the religions we have studied so far this year (Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism, Shintoism, and Primal Religions), I identify the most with Islam. This may sound a bit odd considering that I come from a moderately strict Roman Catholic family. Although I do not question my faith at all, if I was to choose another one I am pretty confident that it would be Islam. I admire the faithfulness of Muslims to Allah and I believe that their dedication to presenting their best self is extremely honorable.